É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)
Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs
28 IN WESTERNMOST FA RS [Chap. I the scene of one of Rustam's great legendary exploits. But on better foundation rests the local tradition which recognizes in Qal'a-safid the great fastness taken by Tímür's force after it had resisted all earlier invaders of Iran ; for the detailed account given by Sharif-ud-din of Tímür's march from Behbehän to Shlräz records his capture of Qal'a-safid exactly in this position. With this agree also the notices found in other later Muhammadan works, which place Qal'a-safid in Shülistän, a name still applied to this portion of the Mämasänl hill tract, or in the vicinity of Naubanjän, on the route from Fahliün to Shäpür. 1 The large flat-topped mountain rises close on 3000 feet above the wide riverine plain of Fahliün. With almost vertical limestone cliffs girding it on all sides, as seen from where our camp lay below, it looked indeed like a great natural fortress such as would invite occupation for safety from early times. But the existence on it of structural defences or other old remains had been doubted by so competent an observer as Professor Herzfeld, who had passed in full view of the mountain but was prevented by his conditions of travel from ascending it. 2 Nor did the description given by Lieutenant McDonald, who in 1810 appears to have been the first European visitor to the mountain, 3 furnish any definite evidence of the existence on it of ancient remains. Accompanied by Surveyor Muhammad Ayüb Khan and M. Bahmän Karimi I started 1 For a still useful summary of these notices, see Ritter, West-Asien, iii. pp. 137 sqq. The early Arab geographers do not seem to mention the stronghold unless its identification with the Qal'ät-al-jis? of Istakhri, ' the Gypsum fastness ', is justified ; cf. Schwarz, Iran im Mittelalter, p. 129. 2 See Petermanrí s Mittheilungen, 1907, p. 85. 3 See Malcolm, History of Persia, i. pp. 19 note and 295, as quoted by Ritter, I.e. p. 137.
